Loom take-up assembly



May 21, 1957 J. M. BECK, JR., ETAL 2,792,713

LOOM TAKE-UP ASSEMBLY Filed May'lS, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ.

llllllllllllllil Illllllllllllllllll llllllllll lllllllllllllll III III INVENTORS James Mmfiallfieclqdc Geozyeflayers Weeler M'Zlz'azm Carl WZii'mn I BY I M1440, MW ATTORNEYg J.'M. BECK, JR., ETA!- May 21, 1957 LOOM TAKE-UP ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1954 Waww w MR M we: 7%

United States Patent LOOM TAKE-UP ASSEMBLY James Marshall Beck, Jr., Shawmut, and George Rogers Wheeler and William Carl Whitman, Lanett, Ala., assiguors to West Point Manufacturing Company, West Point, Ga., a corporation of Alabama Application May 13, 1954, Serial No. 429,534

3 Claims. (Cl. 74-325) This invention relates to loom take-up assemblies, and in particular to package gear train units adapted for ready attachment to and removal from the frames of conventional looms.

The maintenance and operation of conventional loom take-up mechanism involve many serious problems. As customarily designed, the gear train shafts are supported at one end only, and disposed in hard to reach locations which makes lubrication difficult. For these reasons among others, the gear trains are prone to wear badly and slip, and unacceptable cloth results. Additionally, the changing of gears to vary the gear train ratio is diflicult and time-consuming.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a loom take-up assembly in the form of a package unit gear train, assembled in an individual subframe readily mounted on and removed from the frame of a conventional loom. The design of the assembly is such that it may be removed and replaced very quickly, in ten minutes or less.

A further object is to provide a take-up assembly wherein the gear shafts are mounted at both ends thereof, preferably in sealed, anti-friction bearings requiring no lubrication. Related objects are to provide a freerunning take-up assembly, the action of which is smooth and continuous, whereby wear and slippage are reduced to a minimum, and no kick-back mechanism is ever required therewith.

Still another object is to provide a loom take-up assembly wherein the gear train ratio may be changed with great ease, and very quickly. Particularly, the present invention provides for replacement of the change gear without disassembly, and without adjustment or change of brackets or the like. Related objects are to provide a take-up assembly wherein the gear train ratio may be varied over wide limits, with minimum effort. For change of ratio beyond the range of change gear sizes, another gear may be readily replaced with minor disassembly of the unit, and for even greater change in gear 7 train ratio, the entire unit may be removed and replaced with case. As will be evident, the invention reduces the inventory requirement of gears, etc., to a minimum.

General objects are to provide a package loom take-up assembly ofoutstanding simplicity and efficiency, rugged in construction and relatively trouble-free in operation.

Further objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof will best be made clear by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, mounted on the frame of a conventional loom and operatively engaged thereto;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly, onenlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view, also on enlarged scale, taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, showing details of the change gear stub shaft and its mounting.

2,792,713 Patented Mary 21, 1957 Referring to the drawings, in Figure l is illustrated a portion of the frame 10 of a conventional loom. Mounted on a side thereof is a cover 12 which houses the usual take-up worm and Worm wheel (not shown), and leading therefrom is a housing 14 which protects the take-up clutch shaft (similarly not shown). By means of the conventional elements referred to, power is transmitted from the loom drive through the usual clutch 16 and pinoin 18 to the take-up gear train. As is also customary, the gear train drives a take-up gear 20 attached to a shaft 22 employed to rotate the take-up roll (not shown), which in turn rotates the cloth roll of the loom, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. According to the present invention, the intermediate gear train between the pinion 18 and the take-up gear 20 is constructed in the form of an assembly indicated generally as 24, said assembly being a package unit capable of removal and replacement without disturbing associated elements.

The take-up assembly 24 comprises a subframe including spaced side plates 26 and 28, joined at one end thereof by a bolt 30, which carries between the plates a suitable spacer collar 32. Each of the side plates is correspondingly bored at spaced points 34 and 36 for the reception of shafts, and formed about said bores for the reception and accommodation of anti-friction bearings 38, preferably of the sealed, permanently lubricated type. The aligned pair of bores 34 encloses the ends of a transverse shaft 40, which extends between the side plates and is rotatably supported by the side plates ice through the associated anti-friction bearings 38. Suitablysuitably fixed thereto, a large intermediate gear 48. As

will be evident, the axial disposition of the shafts 4t) and 46 is such that when the assembly 24 is properly mounted on the loom frame, the gear 42 will mesh with the pinion 18, and the intermediate gear 48 will mesh with the take-up gear 29.

The drive from the pinion 44 is transmitted to the intermediate gear 48 through a change gear fit and an associated pinion 52, both of which are fixedly mounted in any suitable manner on a stub shaft 54. The stub shaft 54 is end mounted in the side plate 26, in a manner presently to be described. i

As previously indicated, the assembly 24 including the above-described intermediate gear train is a package unit, adapted for ready attachment to the frame 10 of the loom. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the side plate 2.6 of the assembly is provided with an end slot 56 and center slot 58, adapted to accommodate bolts 60 which may be positioned therein, with their threaded ends extending out Wardly from the assembly. The frame it) of the loom is suitably apertured at two points 62 and 64, and the bolts 69 positioned in slots 56 and 53 may extend through spacer collars 66 and the apertures 62 and 64, thereby extending through the Web of the loom frame, on the other side of which they may be engaged by lock washers 68 and nuts 79. As will appear, with the bolts of positioned tive position merely by placing spacer collars 66 over the bolts 60, and then moving the assembly laterally toward the loom frame, meanwhile fitting the ends of the bolts fill into and through the frame apertures 62and 64. In

so positioning the assembly for attachment, the gear 42,

and the intermediate gear 48 of the assembly may readily extending through the slot.

groans be meshed, respectively, with the pinion 1a and the takeup gear 2t) of the loom. When the bolts so have penetrated the apertures 62 and 64, the assembly is secured .in place merely by attaching to each bolt end a lock washer 68 and nut 70, and tightening the nuts 7t As will be evident, the assembly may at any time be readily quickly removed from the loom, simply by removing the nuts 70 from bolts so, and then moving the assembly laterally to the right as shown in Figure l. In this manner, the entire assembly may be removed and replaced by another assembly of different gear ratio whenever neces sary, the entire operation requiring a minimum of skill and time, about ten minutes at the outside. The assembly may be mounted and dismounted by a single operator, using only one wrench fitting the nuts 7t A further outstanding feature of the invention i: the novel provision for changing the change gear 59 of th assembly, without removing the assembly from the loom. For this purpose, the side plate 26 positioned most closely adjacent the loom frame is provided with a widened portion 72 (see Figure 2), adapted to mount the stub shaft 5d at a variety of positions. Preferably, the widened portion 72 of the side plate is slotted inwardly from the edge thereof, the slot 74 being arcuate about the axis of the intermediate gear shaft 46 as center, for a purpose presently apparent.

As best shown in Figure 3, the stub shaft 54 may be provided adjacent one end thereof with a Washer 76 and a retaining pin 78. The other end of stub shaft 54 is provided with a reduced portion 8%, preferably of an outer diameter adapted to fit snugly within the side plate slot 7d. The end of the stub shaft bearing reduced portion St) is tapped and thread ed as at 82, whereby it may receive a bolt 8%. With the aid of spacing washers 36 on either side of the side plate 26, the stub shaft bearing the change gear 50 and the pinion 52 may be positioned at any point along the length of slot 74, with the reduced portion 8d thereof So positioned, bolt 34 may be threaded into the tapped hole 82, and when the bolt 84 is tightened the stub shaft and the gears supported thereby will be rigidly mounted at preselected position on side plate 26.

As will be readily understood, the pinion 52 is toothed to mesh with intermediate gear 48, and is of such diameter, with relation to the diameter of the intermediate gear, as to mesh properly therewith at any preselected position of the stub shaft 54 in the arcuate side plate slot 74. The change gear 50 is toothed to mesh with the pinion 44. For minor changes in gear train ratio, then, the stub shaft 54 and the change gear and pinion thereon may be readily removed from the assembly, merely by loosening bolt 84 and then removing the subasscmbly from slot 74, and replaced by a similar subasscmbly bearing a change gear 50 of comparable pitch but different diameter. That is, the subasscmbly may be removed from the assembly 24, the change gear exchanged for a similar change gear of different diameter, and the subasscmbly then remounted in the side plate 26. In Figure 2 such a change is illustrated in dotted lines, the stub shaft being shown at a different position with the same change gear pinion thereon, but bearing a different change gear 50, of smaller diameter. In replacing the subasscmbly with change gears of different diameter, it will be obvious that the stub shaft reduced portion 80 must enter the slot 74 until the change gear 50 properly engages and meshes with the pinion 44. As will appear, replacement of change gear 50 with the exemplary change gear 50 will reduce the overall gear ratio of the assembly gear train. Intermediate sizes of change gear may similarly be employed, and the overall gear ratio of the train may be increased by substituting a change gear of larger diameter than that of the illustrated change gear 50.

Accordingly, the gear ratio of the assembly may be varied over a considerable range in the simple manner described above, an operation which requires merely a single wrench and only a few moments of time. If a change in overall gear ratio outside this range is required, the entire unit may be removed, and other gears substituted in the assembly. Most simply, the pinion 44 may be replaced by a similar gear of greater or smaller diameter. Also, the intermediate gear and the pinion may be replaced by other pairs of gears, so matched that the sum of their effective radii retains the desired equality with the distance from the center of the shaft 46 and the center line of slot 74. Changes of overall gear ratio of the scope indicated may be effected by removing the assembly 24 from the loom, changing the gears therein as suggested, and then replacing the assembly on the loom; While this operation requires less time than changing the ratio in known loom take-up gear train-s, it may be further expedited by maintaining a stock of package units in the form of assemblies 24-, each geared for a different range of gear ratios, each of such ranges corresponding to that obtainable by selection from a set of stock change gears 48, of different sizes. in such case, for major changes in gear ratio, it is necessary only to remove the assembly 24 from the loom frame, and replace it with a similar stock assembly encompassing a different range of ratios. As previously indicated, this operation requires merely a single Wrench, and a minimum of time.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the utilization of stock package assembly units and a minimum number of standard change gear sizes Will materially improve the inventory situation, in mills wherein a large number of looms are in operation.

The shafts E0 and as are supported within the unit assemblies at both ends thereof, whereby they are stabilized and subjected to a minimum of Wear. The provision of permanently lubricated, sealed anti-friction bearings to support these shafts obviates the necessity of lubricating them, whereby the operators are relieved of a difiicult and tedious chore. The only lubrication required by the assembly 24 is of the stub shaft 54, which is conveniently positioned for such purpose. The assembly is free-running to a remarkable degree, and so little subject to wear and slippage that no kick-back mechanism is required on looms normally provided therewith. Such kick-back mechanism is frequently used on models X and X2 Draper looms, to take up backlash in the take-up train when the loom slams off. The assemblies 24 of the invention' have been found to operate trouble-free with minimum maintenance over long periods, and to virtually eliminate the production of uneven cloth due to play in the take-up mechanism, such as is normally encountered when a loom is frequently started and stopped.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a structure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A loom take-up package assembly comprising a subframe including spaced side plates, a first shaft and a second shaft rotatably mounted in and extending between said side plates, a gear and a pinion mounted on said first shaft, an intermediate gear mounted on said second shaft, a stub shaft, a change gear adapted to mesh with the pinion of said first shaft mounted on said stub shaft, a pinion adapted to mesh with said intermediate gear also mounted on said stub shaft, one of said side plates being slotted from an edge thereof, said slot being arcuate about the axis of said second shaft as center, means for detachably mounting said stub shaft in the slot of said side plate at a variety of positions, and means for detachably mounting said slotted side plate on the frame of a loom.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, including sealed anti-friction beatings mounting the ends of said first and second shafts.

3. A 100m take-up package assembly comprising an open subframe including spaced side plates, a first shaft and a second shaft rotatably mounted in and extending between said side plates, a gear and a pinion mounted on said first shaft, an intermediate gear mounted on said second shaft, a stub shaft, a change gear adapted to mesh with the pinion of said first shaft mounted on said stub shaft, a pinion adapted to mesh with said intermediate gear also mounted on said stub shaft, one of said side plates being slotted from an edge thereof, said slot being arcuate References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,524 Nenninger June 5, 1934 2,237,466 Zimmerman Apr. 8, 1941 2,436,746 Drought Feb. 24, 1948 

